INSIDE THE NFL.

A gift for fans 30 years ago

Dolphins, Chiefs went 2 OTs in 1971 Christmas classic

December 25, 2001|BY DON PIERSON.

The NFL tries to avoid scheduling games on Christmas, but the longest and one of the most memorable games in league history took place 30 years ago Tuesday.

After 82 minutes 40 seconds, the Miami Dolphins beat the Kansas City Chiefs 27-24 in double overtime on Christmas 1971. The loss knocked the Chiefs out of the playoffs and marked the start of three straight Super Bowl appearances by the Dolphins.

Stenerud's missed 31-yard field goal at the end of regulation paved the way for Miami's Garo Yepremian to win it with a 37-yarder in overtime.

Chiefs running back Ed Podolak gained 350 all-purpose yards, still the top performance in playoff history and third all time in NFL history. Podolak caught eight passes for 110 yards and a touchdown, carried 17 times for 85 yards and a touchdown, returned three kickoffs 154 yards--including a 78-yarder that nearly went for a touchdown at the end of regulation--and had a 1-yard punt return.

"I don't think any one player in a big game, a monumental game like that, had a day like Eddie Podolak had," former Chiefs coach Hank Stram told the Kansas City Star.

Said Podolak: "If the game had never gone six quarters, no one would have known my name."

Balancing act: Asked how he balances the demands of his job with the demands of family, Baltimore Ravens coach Brian Billick said: "I'm constantly having to remind them that the job is not more important to me than they are, it's just less forgiving. The job is incessant and it stops for no one. Like most coaching families, mine is very understanding."

Saints fold: Consider the six-day meltdown of the New Orleans Saints, who had a chance to control their playoff destiny.

A week ago Monday night they lost their composure and a game to NFC West archrival St. Louis, during which coach Jim Haslett was fined for entering the field and cursing at officials on national television. Haslett blew his top after Saints fans disrupted the game by throwing bottles and debris onto the Superdome playing field.

Then the Saints traveled to Tampa and were blown out Sunday 48-21, giving up the most points by a Saints team since the 'Aints days of 1973.

The Saints won the NFC West last year and eliminated the defending world champion Rams from the playoffs despite injuries to running back Ricky Williams, receiver Joe Horn, tight end Cam Cleeland and others.

But they have not beaten a winning team this season since Oct. 28.

Record streak ahead: At 1-13 and with 13 consecutive losses, the Panthers are in danger of matching the worst 16-game season record in NFL history and establishing a single-season losing streak.

The most consecutive defeats in a season is 14 by the '76 Bucs, '80 Saints, '81 Colts and '90 Patriots. Since the Panthers' lone win came in the season opener Sept. 9 at Minnesota, their streak will reach 15 if they lose their last two games against Arizona and New England.

Close games: Since a 44-20 loss to Buffalo on Dec. 12, 1998, the Raiders have played 48 regular-season games and have not lost a game by more than 10 points. For that long a period, the Raiders have gone into the fourth quarter with a chance to win.

The next-best streak is by St. Louis--16 games of not losing by 10 or more, since a 16-3 loss to Carolina on Dec. 3 of last year.

Every other team in the league has lost a game by 10 or more points this season.

Quarterback Rich Gannon said: "That's the thing I'm most proud of, that in the three years I've been here, we've gone into every game and ended up feeling like we had a chance to win at the end. That's a pretty good feeling to have, knowing that every week you've got a chance to win if you play smart. Not everybody can say that."

On the move? Dolphins offensive coordinator Chan Gailey has met with Georgia Tech officials and is close to completing a deal to coach the Yellow Jackets, the Macon Telegraph reports.